Non-conducting hand-wheel for cocks



(No Model.)

F. LUNKENHEIMER. NON CONDUCTING HAND WHEEL FOR 00 ALVES, AND OTHER STEAM FITTING No. 383,474. Patented May 29, 1888.

UNITED STATES PATENT FREDERICK LUNKENHEIMER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

NON-CONDUCTING HAND-WHEEL 'FOR COCKS, VALVES, AND OTHER STEAM-FITTINGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 383,474, dated May 29, 1888.

Application filed January 24, 1888. Serial No. 261,793. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK LUNKEN- HEIMER,a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Non- Oonducting Hand-Wheels for Cocks, Valves, and other Steam-Fittings, of which the follow ing is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to those non-con ducting hand-wheels which are usually at' tached to the stems or spindles of cocks and valves and other similar steam-fittings for the purpose of preventing the engineer being burned in the act of opening and closing such appliances. These wheels are usually made of wood; but the steam heat frequently splits them and causes them to drop bodily off from the supporting stems or spindles, thereby necessitating the use of a wrench or key to operate the cock. To overcome this serious difficulty I groove the wheel circuml'erentially and then insert a tie or binder within said groove, the tie being usually of wire with its ends securely twisted together, this twisted portion being housed in a small pit or socket bored in the side of said wheel and communieating with said groove. After the wire has been applied the unoccupied portion of the groove is filled with asuitable cement or other medium, which filling may be the same color as the hand wheel, or it may be a different color, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my circumlerentially -grooved hand-wheel. Fig. 2is a similar elevation, but showing said wheel mounted upon a valve stem or spindle and the binder secured within the groove of said wheel. Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section through the edge of the wheel, the tie or hinder being concealed by the filling. Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal section through a portion of the wheel. Fig. 5 is a modification of my invention.

A represents a hand wheel, composed of wood or other suitable non-conducting material or materials, and B is a circumferential groove in the periphery of the same.

G is a small pit or socket in the side of said wheel and communicating with the groove.

D represents a wire tie or other binder drawn tightly around the groove B, the ends of said tie being preferably twisted together, which twisted portion is housed within the pit or socket O, as more clearly shown in Fig. 4,.

E in Fig. 3 represents a suitable filling for concealing the tie.

F represents the stem, spindle, knob, or shank of a cock, valve, lubricator, radiator, or any other steam fitting or appliance to which hand-wheels are or can be attached,the wheel being secured to this member F by suitable fastenings.

From the above description it isapparent that, if the wheel A should split in two by the action ofthe steam heat radiated from the cook or other fitting,these parts could not separate and drop off bodily from the spindle F, be-

cause the tie or binder D holds the sections of the wheel together. Furthermore, this tie or binder does not in the least interfere with a secure grasp of the hand-wheel, and by using the filling E the binder and groove are completely concealed. As previously stated, this filling may be the same color as the wood; but by making it a different color said filling will constitute an ornamental band or stripe extending around the periphery of the wheel.

The exact method of securing the ends of the tie is immaterial, provided they are so fastened as not to project from the groove.

tings, anon-conducting hand-wheel having a circumferential groove with a tie or binder inserted therein and concealed by a filling applied to said groove, the ends of said tie being twisted together and housed within a pit or socket of said wheel, for the purpose described.

2. For cocks, valves, and other steam-fittings, a non-conducting hand-wheel having a circumferential groove with a tie or binder inserted therein, said tie being concealed by a filling applied to the groove, for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK LUNKENHEIMER.

Witnesses:

JAMES H. LAYMAN, EDMUND LUNKENHEIMER. 

